INTRODUCTION

Self study report on “Quality of Work Life

(QWL) and Employee Satisfaction”. The world is moving

with very high speed and managing an organization has

become more complex than ever before. There is a

competition going on between companies to attract and

retain quality human resource in order to be ahead of

its competitors in a particular industry. At this

backdrop, Quality of Work Life (QWL) has emerged as

one of the most important aspect of Job that ensures

long term association of the employees with the

organization.

Quality of Work Life is the existence of a

certain set of organizational conditions or

practices.  This definition frequently argues that a

high quality of work life exists when democratic

management practices are used, employee’s jobs are

enriched, employees are treated with dignity and safe

working conditions exist. Quality of Work Life refers

to the level of satisfaction, motivation, involvement

and commitment individuals experience with respect to

their lives at work. 

Quality of Work Life is the degree to which

individuals are able to satisfy their important

personal needs while employed by the firm. Companies

interested in enhancing employees Quality of Work

Life generally try to instill in employees the

feelings of security, equity, pride, internal

democracy, ownership, autonomy, responsibility and

flexibility. 

Objective

To find out the Concept, Objectives and Importance of

QWL

To identify the factors affecting Quality of Work

Life

To understand the relationship between QWL and

employee satisfaction.

Strategies to improve Quality of Work Life

Scope

The world today is a world of revolutionary

changes. It gives us a change to scan the 20th

century and foresee the 21st century new challenges

in various field are being accepted. The advantage of

the information technology along with the

industrialization in India demands a highly

motivated, skilled and goal oriented work force.

Quality of work life has become the watchword in

today’s industrial scene, because when there is

proper quality of work life for the employees it will

lead to the satisfaction of the employees, and hence

the scope of the study was to analyze quality of work

life and employee satisfaction .This study is

attempted to explore various dimensions of Quality of

Work Life (QWL) and factors affecting QWL.

Research Methodology

Research is a systematic method of finding

solutions to problems. It is essentially an

investigation, a recording and an analysis of

evidence for the purpose of gaining knowledge.

According to Clifford woody, “research comprises of

defining and redefining problem, formulating

hypothesis or suggested solutions, collecting,

organizing and evaluating data, reaching conclusions,

testing conclusions to determine whether they fit the

formulated hypothesis.

Methodology used in the study

Secondary data

Secondary data are those data which are already

collected and recorded. It has already been collected

by someone else and had undergone statistical

processing according to his needs and requirements.

The major source of secondary data may be from

published source or unpublished source. The relevant

data for this study is collected from published

sources such as magazine and internet.

The data used in this study is secondary data

in the form of published E-journals. The data is

collected from about six E-journals and literature

review is conducted to have a detailed knowledge

about the subject.

  

LITERATURE REVIEW

Miller, 1978; Kirkman, 1981; Metz; 1982 Mirvis

Lawler, 1984; Cooper, 1988) define the qualities of

work life are broadly similar to the study on

Singaporean Employees Development suggest four

dimensions of Quality of Work Life labeled as 1)

Favorable work environment 2) Personal growth and

autonomy 3) Nature of job and 4) Stimulating

opportunities and co-workers good performance while

employees are respected and treated like mature

people.

The study on Singaporean Employees development,

Cheng S in a high QWL there should be a positive

impact on personal life, an opportunity to be

involved in decision as well as an acceptable level

of physical comfort. Job seen to exist within high

QWL work situations are those in which there is

minimum negative impact on one’s personal life, and

hopefully one which has a positive impact on one’s

personal life.

We would expect that those dimensions

comprising QWL that were found in present sample are

consistent with the rapid economic growth and

increasingly high levels of educational standards in

Singapore. Research studies (Taylor, 1977; Taylor

1978; Donald, 1997) have greatly established that QWL

is positively associated with job satisfaction and

can be significant motivator. One implication of this

finding for management is the need to consider the

type of intrinsic and extrinsic factor highlighted by

four aspects of QWL that comprise the motivational

reward-incentive system used in organization.

Designing the job and the work environment so as to

include the characterization of the QWL dimensions

discussed above will contribute to the worker’s sense

of well-being and provide a more positive start to

other motivation programmes within the organization.

Kirkman (1989) suggest that in the future work

society; the drive for more humanitarian treatment

both in and out of work will increase.

Cheng S in his paper QWL through employee

participation in Singapore has discussed the

following for different approaches to QWL employee

share option scheme, joint management consultant,

quality circle and industrial relation circle.

This is an interesting situation given the high

degree of emphasis on achieving high standards in

performance and quality known in Singapore.

QWL has also been viewed in a variety of ways

including (a)as a movement (b) as asset of

organizational intervention and (C) as a type of

working life felt by employees QWL, self evaluation

and life satisfaction among American Africans.

But when for many people sex and relationships

are troublesome since they are often hazardous to our

health work plays an even greater role in keeping us

"out of trouble." Regardless of how much we earn,

most of us have some kind of agenda or work plan.And

with so many people opening a home and a cyber-

office, with mounting levels of technology-related

stress, owner turned content. Many of us end up

involved in more than one job, which we feel

compelled to get done, spending the greatest portion

of our lives in what we consider our workplace. So

Quality of Work Life (QWL) is not some notion of

frivolous luxury. QWL is just as real and useful as

virtual reality itself.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

In recent years the phrase “Quality of life”

has been used with increasing frequency to describe

certain environmental and humanistic values neglected

by industrial productivity and economic growth. 

Within business organizations attention has been

focused on the Quality of human experience in the

work place.  At the same time many firms have

questioned their viability in increasingly

competitive world markets.  These dual concerns have

created a growing interest in the possibilities of

redesigning the nature of work.  Many current

organizational experiments seek to improve both

productivity for the organization and the quality of

working life for its members. 

Definition: 

  Richard and J. Loy define Quality of Work Life

means “the degree to much the members of the working organization

are able to satisfy important personnel needs through their experience

in the organization.” 

Concept of Quality of Work Life (QWL)

The term quality of work life appeared in

Research journals and press in USA only in 1970s. It

refers to the favorable or unfavorable aspect of a

job environment for people working in the

organization.

Richard and J.Joy defined QWL as the degree to

which members of a work organization are able to

satisfy personnel needs through their experience in

the organizations. Richard E. Walton explained QWL in

term of following eight conditions;

1. Adequate and fair compensation: The committee on

fair wages defines wages as the wage which is above

the living age.

2. Safe and healthy working conditions: Most of the

organizations provide safe and healthy working

conditions.

3. Opportunity to use and develop human capacities:

The worker can exercise more control over his or her

work, QWL provides for opportunities like autonomy in

work and participation in planning in order to use

human capabilities.

4. Opportunity for career growth: Opportunities for

promotions are limited for the employees due to

either educational barriers or due to limited opening

at the higher level. QWL provides opportunity for

continued growth and security and by expanding

employs knowledge and qualifications.

5. Social integration in the work place: it can be

established by creating freedom from prejudice,

supporting primary work groups, a sense of community

and inter personal open egalitarianism and upward

mobility.

6. Constitutionalism in the work organizations:

constitutionalism protection is provided to employees

on such matters as privacy, free speech, equity and

due process.

7. Work and quality of life: QWL provides for the

balanced relationship among work, non work and family

life should not be strained by working hours,

including business travel, transfers, vacations etc.

8. Social Relevance of work: QWL is concerned about

the establishment of social relevance to work in a

socially beneficial banner.

Objectives of Quality of Work Life

To increase in individual productivity,

accountability and commitment.

For better teamwork and communication.

For improving the morale of employees.

To reduce organizational stress.

To improve relationships both on and off the job.

To improve the safety working conditions.

To provide adequate Human Resource Development

Programs.

To improve employee satisfaction.

To strengthen workplace learning.

To better manage on-going change and transition.

To participate in management at all levels in shaping

the organization.

Importance of Quality of Work Life: 

       Improved Quality of Work Life was not

considered as important factor in India until

recently as there were important impending factors

like resource deficiency, environmental threats and

some services of financial problems. 

Quality of Work Life programme has become important

in work place for the following reasons: 

1.Increase demands at work

2.Loss of long term employee guarantees

3.The need for enhanced work place skills

4.Greater competition for talent

5.Increased women in work fore

Major Factors Affecting the QWL

WORK LIFE BALANCE 

BENEFITS TO

THE

ORGANIZAT

ION

WORKLIFE BALANCE 

BENEFITSTO THE

INDIVIDUAL

Measured increases in

individual

productivity,

accountability and

commitment

Better teamwork and

communication

Improved morale

Less negative

organizational stress

More value and

balance in your daily

life

Better understanding

of what your best

individual work life

balance is

Increased

productivity

Improved

relationships both on

and off the job

Reduced stress

Jerome M Rosow, president of the Work in

American Institute, has identified seven critical

factors which will affect the quality of work life

during the years ahead. These are pay, employee

benefits, job security, alternative work schedules,

occupational stress, participation and Social

integration.

Pay

QWL must be built around an equitable pay

programs. In future more workers may want to

participate in the profits of the firm.

Benefits

Since workers are now better organized,

educated and vociferous, they demand more from the

employers all over the world-apart from the pay-in

the form of social security and welfare benefits as

matter of right which were once considered a part of

the bargaining process.

Job Security

Conditions in the work environment must be

created by the employer which will give all the

employees freedom from fear of losing their jobs. A

system must be created in which there are healthy

working conditions with optimum financial security.

The points stressed above are essential to improve

the QWL in organizations.

Alternative Work Schedules

With a view to tackle job boredom, modern

organizations have been experimenting with several

forms of alternate work schedules such as four-day

work week, flexi-time and part-time work. Compressed

work week is a work schedule in which a trade is made

between the number of hours worked per day, and the

number of days worked per week, or order to work the

standard length hours-four days, 10 hours each day or

three days, 12 hours each day are examples of the QWL

schedule. In India this is being implemented by a few

companies successfully.

Occupational stress

Occupational mental-health programmes dealing

with stress are beginning to emerge as a new and

important aspect of QWL programmes. Obviously, and

individual suffering from uncomfortable amount of

job-related stress cannot enjoy a high quality of

work life.

Workers participation

Employees have a genuine hunger for

participating in organizational issues affecting

their lives. Naturally they demand far more

participation in decision making process at the work

place.

Social integration

The work environment should provide

opportunities for preserving an employee’s personal

identify and self-esteem through freedom from

prejudice, a sense of community, interpersonal

openness and absence of stratification the

organization.

Problems of implementing Quality of Work Life

programmes:

Bohlander has identified three common problems

of implementing Quality of Work Life programme.  The

three areas are: 

Managerial attitudes

Union influence

Restrictiveness of industrial engineering

 

Strategies to improve Quality of Work Life

By implementing some changes, the management

can create sense of involvement, commitment and

togetherness among the employees which paves way for

better Quality of Work Life. 

a.Job enrichment and Job redesign

b.Autonomous work redesign

c.Opportunity for growth

d.Administrative or organizational justice

e.Job security

f.Suggestion system

g.Flexibility in work schedules

h.Employee participation

Quality of Work life improvements are defined

as any activity which takes place at every level of

an organization which seeks greater organizational

effectiveness through the enhancement of human

dignity and growth.  A process through which the

state holders in the organization, management, unions

and employees - learn how to work together better to

determine for themselves what actions, changes and

improvements are desirable and workable in order to

achieve the win and simultaneous goals of an improved

quality of life at work for all members of the

organization and greater effectiveness for both the

company and the unions. 

 

QWL and Employees Satisfaction

Employee satisfaction is very important aspect

for any organization in order to ensure its effective

functioning. In today’s competitive world we see

organizations are spending lot of time and money on

employee satisfaction in an effort to improve

productivity, increase customer satisfaction, and

also to help the organization needs. Executive should

maintain a satisfied work forces, hence the employee

satisfaction and QWL directly effects the company

ability to properly serve its customers and if it is

not measured. It cannot be effectively improved and

maintained.

If the company which does not measured and

improved the employees satisfaction may face

increasing turnover, declining productivity from the

people that remain, and limited ability to attract

and retain qualified replacements. Dissatisfaction

with working life is a problem, which affects all

workers at one time or another. Hence the sustained

vitality and profitability of the organization is

clearly linked to the satisfaction of its work force.

All the employees mostly feel they are working

harder, faster and longer hours than even before and

hence employees are attempting to determine what kind

of investments in staff really payoff, and if there

is no balance the stress of the employee leads to

lack of commitment to the corporation, poor

productivity and even leaving the company. The

problem of the employees can be solved by many

methods employer should try to address the employee

turnover and job satisfaction issues. The issue must

be first determined in order to take effective action

plan towards employees ’satisfaction.

Some companies take or implement by convinced

focus groups and conducted employee satisfaction

survey to find out their employees feel to determine

what they can do to make their employee happy.

Employers have found beneficial to allow work

assignment for their employees. This is another way

to improve employee productivity and morale. If we

see the other alternative assignment even they are

widely used today-they are telecommuting, flexi time,

and alternative work schedule. Four types of flexi

time include 1. Flexitour 2. Gliding time 3.

Variable day 4. Maniflex

QWL to improve and eliminate job stress,

employers can also make efforts to the aware of the

workload and job demands, employer need to examine

employee training, communication, reward system,

coworker relationship and work environment. If the

employees are given freedom to choose their own work

schedules; quality and productivity of the work

increases. Because of this opportunity given to the

employee will also bring to the responsibility for

finishing work within specified time. Non- financial

rewards often have more impact than finance

reorganization in attaining job satisfaction

rewarding the employees is important. Job

satisfaction can be improved by the recognizing the

employees’ performance through providing other works,

benefits, and non-financial rewards. Job satisfaction

is a motivator in work endeavors, and QWL is a key

indicator of the overall quality of human experience

in the work place. QWL expresses a clear way of

thinking about people, their work, and other

organization in which their career are fulfilled. QWL

establishes a clear objective that high performance

can be achieved with high job satisfaction. Unclear

targets and objectives and poor communications can

contribute to dissatisfaction and eventually lead to

poor work performance.

Conclusion

 

It is concluded from the whole study that the

quality of work life helps in reducing the

absenteeism in the work place, the facilities and

services provided by the organization helps to

increase sense and belongingness amongst the

employees. It also enhances career growth and

satisfaction of the employees towards organization.

A happy and healthy employee will give better

turnover, make good decisions and positively

contribute to organizational goal. An assured good

quality of work will not only attract young and new

talent but also retain the existing experienced

talent.

Workplace flexibility is increasingly becoming

important both for the employers as well as the

employees. A good fit between people’s personal and

work roles can go along way in resolving conflicts.

In fact researcher claim that by helping to manage

employee’s work/life conflicts the company actually

increases “psychological availability for work” of an

employee. This is at least true of some learning

organizations that are open to such novel HR

practices. They look at flexible work arrangements as

an opportunity for more efficient recruitment,

decrease in staff turnover and absenteeism. Very

importantly it helps them to project an improved

corporate image.

Bibliography

K.Aswathappa(1997), “Human Resource and Personal

Management” Tata Mcgraw- Hill Publishing Company

Limited, New Delhi-110 001

C.R Kothari (2001) “Research Methodology” of Wishwa

prakashan Publishing, Chennai-17th edition

Journals: 

ICFAI Journal of Management  

The Indian Management  

Websites: 

www.ling-tech.com  

www.humanresouces.uce.edu

www.managementparadise.com

Limitations of the study

The study is conducted on the basis of

secondary data collected from other published

sources. There may be arise in the context and are

not completely reliable. The researcher enters into

the conclusion from the review of past studies

conducted on the topic. Both the findings and

suggestions are also based on the secondary data

available.